“What’s that crazy fool doing?”

So we are back at the resort after a very successful morning of birding and Mike will I’m sure post beautiful photos as soon as possible- restrictions on internet here.

Anyway, I like to journal when things are fresh in my mind, and boy are they fresh!

We started at 4:30 am in the pitch dark climbing down into a “longboat” for our journey across to a neighboring island where the hide for the Wilson’s Bird of Paridose is active.

Andy in the front had a headlamp on, Mike and I sat behind him and behind our belongings which were covered in a tarp so they didn’t get wet. Michael our bird guide and the guy manning the engine behind us.

We quickly discovered we would be getting wet, very wet- but at least the water was warm.

It was better to laugh than cry - and I had a funny thought of our old selves.

Back in many of our pre birder vacations, we would be in some tropical paradise and due to time change up before daylight and looking out at a pitch black body of water lit by the stars. Then when we would see a small non sea worthy looking little vessel go by, I would think or say something along the lines of “what’s that crazy fool doing out there.”

Well, this time we were the crazy fools! But as I prefaced my entry everything worked out perfectly!

We were in very capable hands. We had to take our hiking shoes off, again in the dark, to get out of the boat of course. Then we got in a nice 4 wheel drive vehicle for the longest part of the trek in. Then you get out of the car and hike - in the dark - into the forest and into the hide. We had our own headlamps for this portion and Mike used his but I had enough light from the lead local guide ahead of me and didn’t take mine out until we were almost there. And then we waited ……,,, that’s what you do a lot of as a birder. One other client of the local guide shared the hide with us so no problems being crowded or uncomfortable in there - and I was sort of starting to dry off.

Oh! We did see a small fire along the way and Yopi who was riding in the back jumped out and put it out. It has not rained here in many months and there have been several small forest fires- we saw evidence of them when it was light out on our drive back.

We got SO LUCKY! this hide was for the Wilson’s bird of paradise but the Red Bird of Paradose also showed up. I should have done my pre trip studying because when I saw it, I said “what the heck is that?” instead of there’s the red bird of paradise.

That thing is huge and the tail is at least 2 feet long! I will say that these birds are really best viewed in person - at least that’s the reaction I am having. They are beautiful to look at a photo of but in person it’s sort of mind boggling to me they exist. So grateful we made this trip!